Victoria Awkward is a Visual and Performance Arts Education major at Goucher College. Her research includes dance performance, choreographing, education and visual arts. Victoria has performed works by Sidra Bell, Gregory Dolbashian, Betsi Graves, Christian Von Howard, Ronen Koresh, Jackie Nowicki, and Iquail Shaheed. She has also presented her choreography at multiple Goucher College student showcases, the first annual Dancers of Color Coalition show and at the Accademia dell' Arte in Arezzo, Italy. This is Victoria’s first concert with Ashani Dances.

Charity Broussard began her dance training at the Flint School of Performing Arts. Upon graduation from high school Charity attended Goucher College where she received a Fine and Performing Arts in Dance scholarship. As a member of the Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble, she performed choreography by Milton Myers, Gabrielle Lamb, Christian Von Howard, and Iquail Shaheed. Charity is proud to be a founding member of the Dancers of Color Coalition at Goucher and graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance. Since graduation she has performed with Eddie Stockton at the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center based in Brooklyn, NY. This is Charity’s first concert with Ashani Dances.

Jamison Curcio is a dance choreographer and performer from Albany, New York. She has trained at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey Professional Division, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Northeast Ballet. Jamison is a Global Citizen Awardee at Goucher College where she studies Performance Art for Social Justice. Jamison is a cofounder of the Dancer of Color Coalition, a Goucher College Club, with a mission to empower and create opportunities for artists of color. Jamison has performed works by Milton Myers, Nathan Trice, and Iquail Shaheed. This is Jamison’s first concert with Ashani Dances.

Taryn Jansen is from Portland, Oregon. She began her dance training at the age of 5 years old under the direction of Diana Redding. In high school she trained with Sarah Slipper and became a member of The Jefferson Dancers under the direction of Steve Gonzales. As a member of the Jefferson Dancers Taryn toured internationally, traveling to Germany, London, Paris, and the South of France. She attended Cornish College of the Arts and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. Taryn currently teaches and choreographs at Studio One Dance Academy in Portland, Oregon. This is Taryn’s second concert with Ashani Dances and she rejoins us from Portland.

Ronderrick Lamont Mitchell received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography from New World School of the Arts/University of Florida and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Florida State University. He began his training at Bethel A.M.E. Church under the mentorship of Beverly Barber, PhD and Ronderrick furthered his training as a scholarship student at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. He has preformed professionally with The Tallahassee Ballet, Brazz Dance Theater, and Bethel Liturgical Dance Company. Ronderrick has also danced works by Ronald K. Brown (Evidence/ A dance Company), Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Augusto Soledade (Brazz Dance Theater), Peter London, & Darrell Jones. This is Ronderrick’s first concert with Ashani Dances.

Tarik Darrell O’Meally was born in Queens, New York and raised in the DMV. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. Tarik has worked and performed with companies such as Johnnie Cruise Mercer/The RED project NYC, Amaranth, in addition to Abby Z & the New Utility. Tarik is currently a company member of the Marvin Gaye Dance Project, VT Dance. Tarik is a four time, scholarship recipient at the American Dance Festival. As a choreographer, his work has been presented at The Clarice Smith 34 Annual Choreographers Showcase, New Releases Choreographer Showcase, the 15th Annual Richmond Choreographer Showcase, the Richmond Dance Festival, the Baltimore Theater Project, ARAS Dance series, Morgan State University and the Mid-Atlantic North Gala performance at the American College Dance Association. Tarik, the artistic director of the UNUM Dance Collective, is the 2016-2017 Artist in Residence at Coppin State University. He is currently 2017-2018 New Releases Commissioned Artist. This is Tarik’s second concert with Ashani Dances.

Sam Picart began his dance training in urban street styles at the age of fifteen and, at the age of eighteen, studied ballet with his aunt, Jennifer Picart-Branner - formerly of the Frankfurt Ballet. Sam received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Cornish College of the Arts and was the chosen winner of Ellen's Dance Off competition where he was a featured guest on the show. He has also worked with notable choreographers such as Mandy Moore, Camille A Brown, Victor Quijada and Iyun Ashani Harrison. Sam is a choreographer and has created work for the the Seattle Academy of Arts & Sciences, Cornish Summer Dance Program, the Seattle International Dance Festival, and Full Tilt. In addition to teaching in dance studios throughout the Pacific Northwest, Sam teaches nationally for Showstopper Dance based in Myrtle Beach. Sam is a founding member of Ashani Dances and rejoins us from Seattle.

Kelton Roth (Cass City, MI) began his formal dance training at Interlochen Arts Academy under the direction of Mark Borchelt. During his time at Interlochen he worked with members of Martha Graham Dance Company, Garth Fagan Dance, Battle Works and MOMIX. Kelton continued his education at Cornish College of the Arts where he worked with Janet Eilber, Robert Battle and Patricia Lent. After receiving his BFA, Kelton relocated to Chicago where he danced with Mordine and Company Dance Theater. Kelton is a founding member of Ashani Dances. Kelton is a founding member of Ashani Dances and rejoins us from Chicago.

Collaborators

Marc Avon Evans
Internationally known, locally respected.

Singer/songwriter, Marc Avon Evans has been writing and performing for more than 20 years. A native Baltimorean, Evans was born into music, yet amazingly, this son of a painter & jazz saxophonist didn’t discover his talent until studying Chemistry at Morgan State University. As a member of the world renowned Morgan State University Choir, Evans discovered his love for music. In 1993, Evans formed a band and covered jazz, funk, rock, pop, & soul. That year he began writing and recording songs he would later release on the compilation The First Seven Years, a soulful collection of rhythm & blues songs capturing his life & love experiences.

In 2004, while working as a session vocalist for Code Red Recordings, he wrote the single The Way You Love Me, a soulful house tune that has become a standard in the genre. After capturing the attention of Simon Dunmore, CEO of Defected Records UK, he recorded and released the full album The Way You Love Me in the fall of 2008 and the 2 disc Deluxe Edition in the fall of 2009. Independently, Evans also released both Live & Acoustic and Intervention in 2009 on his label VOR Music Group. He now pursues his writing and music full time performing in the US, Europe, Asia, and the Netherlands. He will release his first book, Songbyrd: Living in Lyric, in 2012 on www.dewdropcollectivepublishing.com

Michayla Kelly (Marketing & Public Relations Co-coordinator) is a BA candidate in Dance and Mathematics at Goucher College, where she is the coordinator for the annual Sophia Kurek Dance-A-Thon and a performer with Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble. This is Michayla’s first project with ASHANI DANCES.

Eliza Malecki (Stage Manager) is a Dance major and Education minor at Goucher College where she has serves as a stage manager for Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble. Eliza looks forward to collaborating on her first professional production with ASHANI DANCES.

Julia Piper (Costume Manager) is a BA candidate in Dance and Environmental Studies with a concentration in Society at Goucher College where she also serves as the costume manager for the dance program. This is her first collaboration with ASHANI DANCES.

Johnaye Kendrick (composer, singer) received a Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University. During her time at Western Michigan, she received a Down Beat Student Music Award as an Outstanding Jazz Vocalist, and was featured on an honors recital with pianist Fred Hersch. She was a featured soloist in a piece composed and directed by legendary bassist Rufus Reid for the International Society of Bassists Conference.
Johnaye was accepted to the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, a Graduate program which focuses on jazz performance and composition. While attending the Thelonious Monk Institute, she worked with many jazz legends, including Terence Blanchard, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Danilo Perez, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Brian Blade. She received a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies from Loyola University, and an Artist’s Diploma from the Thelonious Monk Institute.
After graduating from the Institute, Johnaye was immediately hired by trumpeter Nicholas Payton. In addition to her extensive touring with the Nicholas Payton SEXTET, Johnaye is also the featured vocalist with the Ellis Marsalis Quartet and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. The Orchestra won a Grammy® Award in the 2009 “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album” category for their latest release, Book 1 on which she is featured.
Johnaye resides in Seattle, WA. and is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Voice at Cornish College of the Arts.

Rebecca Blackwell is currently pursing a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts where she discovered her passion for dance production under the tutelage of Meg Fox. She has been a stage manager and lighting designer in Seattle for the past four years, as well as working as a “Floating Technician” for the American Dance Festival. Rebecca has worked locally at On the Boards, Broadway Performance Hall, Washington Hall, and Velocity Dance Center.

Meg Fox (lighting) has been designing lights for dance and theatre for over 20 years. In Seattle, she has worked with every major modern choreographer and company. Although her first love is dance-based work, she has also designed lights for many of the major houses in Seattle along with many new performance works. She has toured nationally and abroad with Urban Bush Women and The Pat Graney Company, among others. Her work has also been commissioned by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and by Sonia Dawkins for the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

William Hayes is a composer and guitarist currently based in Seattle, Washington. As a composer of acoustic and electronic music, he involves himself with a variety of musicians around the country and has had works performed by the Seattle Chamber Players, the Corigliano Quartet, Trio Pardalote, St. Helens Quartet, the Jim Knapp Orchestra and many others. As a performer and improviser, he also works collaboratively with composers Ryan Jobes and Benjamin Marx. Hayes frequently collaborates with artists in producing pieces for film and dance, including visual artists Christopher Walsh and Jordan Rundle, choreographers Iyun Harrison, Matt Drews, Babette McGeady, and is resident composer with the Pendleton House. He is a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts, where he studied composition with Wayne Horvitz and Jarrad Powell.

Joseph Lambert (photographer/videographer) is a local Seattle photographer and videographer who specializes in live performance capture. His passion for both film and theater helps to create his own style and aesthetic. A background in acting and technical theater gives Joseph a perspective for Headshot, Portrait and Live Performance photography that catches the eye and conveys emotion. For more information visit JazzyPhoto.com.

Ben Morrow was raised in Boise, ID where his musical studies and training began. After graduating from the University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton School of Music he moved to Seattle with roots/rock band Zingara. While in Seattle he has performed in a wide variety of musical environments, ranging from concert percussion with the Bellevue Philharmonic and Rainier Symphony to working as a dance accompanist for Cornish College of the Arts. He has also performed as a drummer with many different groups in Seattle’s vibrant independent music scene, in styles ranging from jazz, folk, country and theater to Beatles tribute bands and martial arts demonstrations. Mr. Morrow has toured the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Canada with Zingara and has traveled throughout Mexico and the Caribbean as a jazz musician for Carnival Cruise Lines with the Cardinal Hamilton Trio. As a soloist he performed with the Washington/Idaho Symphony as winner of their 2002 Young Artist Competition. Mr. Morrow has taught percussion at Music Works NW, the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, and Des Moines Elementary. He currently teaches private drum lessons in the Seattle area. www.benjaminmorrow.com

Lindsay Wolfe (video - Orange County, CA) started her dance training at Idyllwild Arts Academy and went on to further her studies at Cornish College of the Arts. She has danced works by Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Marius Petipa, Ronald E. Brown, Sean Greene, Deborah Brockus, Patrick Frantz, Lilian Barbeido, Stephanie Gilliland, and Courtney Giannone
Lindsay directs and edits dance on camera. Her films have been screened in IV São Carlos Videodance Festival (Brazil), FEDAME (Mexico), FRAME Research 2010 (Brazil), Festival International de Vidéo Danse de Bourgogne (France), Next Dance Cinema Northwest Film Forum (Seattle, WA), Frameworks (NYC, NY), NapoliDanza (Italy), STREB Motion in Media (NYC, NY), Big Screen Project (NYC, NY) and Private Screening at Dance New Amsterdam (NYC, NY). She is a frequent collaborator with Courtney Giannone. Lindsay is also certified in the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®.